Zuma arrives in Windhoek
South Africa President Jacob Zuma will on Thursday participate in the official opening ceremony of the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) Headquarters in Windhoek, Namibia.
Zuma, the Chairperson of SACU, arrived in Namibia Wednesday. He is expected to deliver a key note address, the SA Department of International Relations and Cooperation said in a statement.
Leaders of SACU member states; Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Swaziland are also expected to attend.
SACU has been in existence since 1910, making it the oldest customs union in the world.
The agreement establishing the union provides for a common external tariff and a common excise tariff to the customs area, with revenue being shared among member states according to a revenue-sharing formula as described in the agreement.
SACU member states are currently in discussions with regard to a road map to take SACU from the revenue sharing arrangement and a common external tariff to a developmental integration programme.
Zuma is accompanied by Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene and Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies.